Located
about 58 kilometers from the town of Pondicherry,
Chidambaram is a famous temple town greatly revered by the
local folk and pilgrims. The chief deity and attraction of
Chidambaram is Nataraja, the dancing form of Lord Shiva. The
temple complex is dedicated to the art of dancing, as the
details of natya shastra, an ancient text on dancing in
India, are engraved on one of the gates. Magnificent
sculptures depicting the different poses of Bharatnatyam, a
form of classical Indian dance adorn the interiors of this
temple. The ancient temple is undoubtedly one of the most
popular tourist spots that can be visited by embarking on
excursions from Pondicherry. During Shivaratri, a famous
occasion in India marked by offering prayers to lord Shiva,
this temple becomes

the venue
of a renowned dance festival.

How to Reach Chidambaram
By Air: Chidambaram has the nearest airports in
Tiruchirapalli (195 km) and Chennai (245 km). From
Tiruchirapalli, you can board Indian Airlines flights to
Chennai (Madras), which is connected to all the major cities
in India and abroad.

By Rail: Chidambaram lies on the Madras-Tiruchirapalli
main line of the Southern Railway. It is connected with
Tiruchirapalli, Madras, Madurai (335 km), Rameshwaram (575
km), Bangalore (340 km), and Tirupati (290 km).

By Road: You can go for bus services, which are
frequently available to various places in Tamilnadu, Andhra
Pradesh, Karnataka, and Pondicherry states from Chidambaram.
There are non-stop bus services and express bus services to
major cities like Chennai.